In 1788, the former Jesuit church was sold and a year later it was converted into a theatre. The exterior underwent major changes: the church tower was demolished, the windows were bricked up and the IHS monogram (the ‘logo’ of the Jesuits) was removed from the façade. The Baroque statues were taken out of the niches and the crucifix was removed from the pediment. The clergy of Maastricht had to watch all this through gritted teeth! The most significant alterations were the relocation of the entrance from west to east and the installation of an upper floor in the nave of the church. Mathias Soiron was the architect who redesigned the church in 1789.

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Four years later, the theatre was partially used by the main city guard and after the French captured the city on November 4, 1794 the building was repurposed as a storage depot for the army. However, performances continued in the Redoute much to the satisfaction of the garrison officers. The damaged theatre was hastily restored in 1803 because Napoleon, during his three-day stay in the city, was expected to attend some events there. After the Napoleonic troops retreated following the Battle of Leipzig in 1813, the theater was converted into a hospital for wounded soldiers. Once again the damaged theater had to be repaired in 1814, and once again it housed soldiers between 1830 and 1833 after the Belgian Revolt.

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By 1877, the theater was described as a gold-trimmed funeral pyre… worn-out furniture, hopelessly outdated interior and numerous defects due to poor maintenance. It was renovated, and at its reopening on November 11, 1879, the public was amazed by the lavish neo-Baroque interior of the theater, which has since been known as the ‘Bonbonnière’. The renovation costed 175.000 guilders and was designed by the Liège architect Julien Étienne Remond and city architect Brender à Brandis. At the festive opening the audience could marvel at the red velvet seating and the opulent surroundings.

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It wasn’t until 1912 and 1921 that modern facilities like electricity and central heating were installed. A few years later in 1927 and 1928 the building underwent more changes to meet contemporary standards. In the 1950s another renovation was planned but the costs spiraled out of control and caused a major scandal. However, on September 13, 1959, the theatre reopened and the public could see for themselves the modernized technical facilities, including an 18-meter-high stage tower which altered the appearance of the original façade. From then on the Bonbonnière could accommodate 850 visitors.

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In the 1970s the unattractive entrance was renovated and the front section was enhanced with an elevator and a modern staircase with an elegant exhibition space on the landing. Next to the entrance is a bronze wall relief by visual artist Desirée Tonnaer: Maskerade (1996). New dressing rooms, an artist’s lounge and proper loading and unloading facilities were added. The interior of the main hall was also updated. This had consequences for the seating capacity: it was reduced to 565 but… with a proper view of the stage.

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Despite the many renovations to both the exterior and interior the Bonbonnière has always enjoyed warm affection from the people of Maastricht. Whether this interest concerned the financial turmoil required to keep the building standing or the countless injections of funds needed to guarantee the theatre’s survival, it also extended to the city’s theatrical life itself -the level of the performers, the repertoire or the inevitable scandals involving the audience both on and off the stage- all of which make the history of the city theater as delightful as a praline from a beautifully gilded Bonbonnière.